August 11, 2026
Wells Art Contemporary - International Art Competition
Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) is an international competition showcasing innovative visual art across all genres. Artists worldwide can enter work in any subject, style, or medium, including: painting, drawing, sculpture, print, photography, video, digital, textile, ceramic; and mixed media. Established in 2012, WAC offers a unique opportunity to exhibit in the magnificent setting of Wells Cathedral, the first Gothic cathedral in England. This beautiful space welcomes 18,000 monthly visitors and offers an inspiring welcome to all artists, regardless of creed, with its pale stone, ethereal light and soaring architecture.
This year's prizes include two awards of £2,000 each — the Howden Art Award and the Simon Gillespie Studio Painting Prize — plus a £500 People's Choice Prize and a £500 Jane Bowe Memorial Prize for a Somerset artist. The NG Art Creative Residency Prize of
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